American Popular Revolutionary Alliance

The American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA) is a social democratic political party in Peru that was founded on 7 May 1924 by Victor Raul Haya de la Torre. The party was founded in Mexico City, Mexico, and it was originally intended to be an international party; it inspired the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement in Bolivia and the National Liberation Party in Costa Rica. The party was established as a national party in Peru on 20 September 1930, and it initially espoused anti-imperialism, pan-Americanism, international solidarity, and economic nationalism. The party experienced repression for several years, and, in an effort to have the party legalized, Haya de la Torre shifted the party's platform to the right during the 1950s, leading to the exodus of some of the APRA's most talented leaders to the Marxist left. In 1979, the APRA was legalized, and Haya de la Torre died before he could run in the 1980 presidential election. The party won virtual control over the Chamber of Deputies and Senate that year, with leadership issues leading to Popular Action winning the presidency. In 1985, APRA member Alan Garcia was elected President of Peru, but his presidency was marked by hyperinflation. The party lost the 1990 election, and Garcia was prevented from speaking at his farewell speech by the booing of opposition party members. In 2006, Garcia was once more elected President, serving until 2011.